John Bertenshaw, lawyer and resident of Independence, was born in Franklin county, Indiana, Dec. 31, 1872. He is a son of Edwin and Melissa (Hancock) Bertenshaw, natives of Indiana, where they were reared and married, and from which state they removed to Kansas, in 1873, settling on a farm in Louisburg township, Montgomery County. In this county they have since resided. Here they reared four sons, as follows Edward I., who became a physician and died at the age of thirty-seven years; John, the subject of this personal sketch; Herbert and Hose G., both dental surgeons, the former practicing at Independence, Kan., and the latter at Nowata, Okla. The father is of English descent paternally. His father was John Bertenshaw, who was born in England, whence he came to the United States and settled in Indiana. The mother, who bore the maiden name of Melissa Hancock, is of Scotch-Irish descent.

John Bertenshaw grew to manhood on his father's farm in Louisburg township, where he attended the country schools; then he attended the high school at Elk City, Kan., where he graduated in 1889. For a period of time thereafter he clerked in the mercantile business, and then took up the study of law, Sept. 21, 1892, in the law office of William Dunkin, at Independence. He was admitted to the bar about 1895, and remained in the office of Mr. Dunkin until about 1903, when he became associated with F. J. Fritch in the practice of law for about two years. He then maintained an office alone until May, 1906, when the law firm of Banks & Bertenshaw was formed. The firm is one of the strongest and best known of the Montgomery county bar, in politics Mr. Bertenshaw is a Republican. In 1906 he was appointed city attorney for Independence, to which position he was reappointed in 1908, 1909 and 1911, being the present incumbent of the office. He is a Master Mason, and is one of the highly respected lawyers and citizens of Independence. Aside from the practice of law he has become identified with the oil industries of Kansas and Oklahoma, and is also a director of the State Bank of Independence. Jan. 5, 1898, Mr. Bertenshaw married Miss Estella R. Thrall, the only child of the highly esteemed Dr. M. A. Thrall and wife, of Independence.